Summary
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Details
- Ireland
Ireland's GPP requirements affect:
- Suppliers and service providers bidding for Irish public contracts above €50,000 (goods/services).
- Contractors and the construction supply chain bidding for works contracts above €200,000.
Deep dive
Introduction
Ireland’s GPP push is built around Buying Greener (2024–2027)—the state’s strategy to mainstream green and circular procurement across the public sector. With effect from 1 January 2025, for competitions above €50,000 (goods/services) and €200,000 (works), procurers are expected to include green requirements in the tender—especially environmental technical specifications and corresponding selection/award criteria.
In July 2025, the Irish government published Circular 17/2025, which updates instructions for public sector bodies and replaces earlier guidance. It reiterates that GPP can be applied across the procurement lifecycle (including technical specs, selection, award, life-cycle costing, and contract clauses) and instructs contracting authorities to use national GPP criteria where available and appropriate.
Tendering implications for companies (suppliers & contractors)
While Ireland's GPP formally applies to public sector bodies running procurements, in practice, the commercial impact lands on the private sector. Suppliers must understand and address these Green Public Procurement requirements to compete successfully for public sector contracts. Key points to note include:
Green requirements will be part of the core tender - Environmental and sustainability criteria are no longer optional but expected as part of technical specifications and scoring elements in tender documents.
Evidence of compliance must be provided - Expect requests for documentation, proof of environmental performance, and verification of claims (e.g., certifications or product data linked to sustainability criteria).
Total cost of ownership may be considered - There’s greater emphasis on looking beyond upfront price to include energy use, maintenance, disposal, and other life-cycle costs where relevant.
Current status
Ireland's GPP rules are in operation. Since July 2025, Circular 17/2025 has required public bodies to embed Green Public Procurement across Ireland’s public sector, replacing earlier voluntary guidance and establishing clear reporting, training, and implementation expectations. Public bodies are now integrating sustainability into corporate procurement plans and reporting on GPP application through SEAI and the EPA, with explanations required where criteria aren’t applied. The Circular also encourages consideration of SME impacts and early market engagement to better understand supplier capacity for sustainable solutions. Tools like the EPA’s national guidance and the OGP’s GPP Criteria Search support practical implementation and help suppliers prepare for the new requirements.
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